Snohomish students grill county council candidates

Published 9:42 am Wednesday, September 30, 2009

SNOHOMISH — Most of the audience wasn’t old enough to vote, but the two Snohomish County Council candidates still treated them to a meaty political discussion.

The venue was Snohomish High School.

The crowd of about 300 ate up an exchange toward the end of Tuesday’s* debate between the incumbent councilman, Democrat Dave Somers, and his rival, Republican Steve Dana. A question from students about balancing the environment and population growth turned into a people-versus-fish argument.

Dana: “I put people first. I think Councilman Somers puts fish first.”

Somers: “Well, that’s ridiculous.”

Students: “Ooohhh.”

Somers said he favored a balance that allowed more people to move to the area, but still enjoy outdoor pastimes such as fishing. Dana said the county unfairly restricts private property rights when people have ponds or streams on their land.

Teacher Tuck Gionet had invited two candidates from the County Council’s 5th District, the type of thing he’s been doing with his classes on government during the past two decades.

“Although some of the kids who might not be old enough to vote, they go home to their parents and talk,” Gionet said. “If they hear the debate, they’re probably better informed than most people who do vote.”

Somers and Dana are vying on Nov. 3 for the County Council seat representing the eastern parts of the county from Snohomish to Index and Lake Stevens to Maltby.

Dana, who owns The Hub restaurant up the street from the school, was returning to his alma mater. He graduated in 1968 and got his start in politics with a successful run for senior class president.

“It made a lasting impression on me,” Dana said.

Twenty years later, he would serve for two terms on Snohomish City Council. He told students he made the decision to run for County Council after people stopped by his restaurant and told him he’d be a good candidate.

Somers came to Washington after graduating in 1970 from high school in Napa, Calif. A scuba-diving class convinced him he wanted to be a marine biologist, “like Jacques Cousteau.”

He attended the University of Washington. His first jobs had him working at the Verlot ranger station near Granite Falls and for the Tulalip Tribes. He won his first County Council term in 1997 and lost a re-election bid in 2001. After four years on the sidelines, he took back his seat in 2005.

“It’s a great place,” he said. “I really care about the county. I want to keep it a nice place.”

Students from five classes were invited to ask questions such as bringing a four-year university to the county, keeping the local aerospace industry healthy and whether it’s a good idea to have commercial flights at Paine Field airport. Each candidate had two minutes to respond. A three-minute rebuttal period followed.

Afterward, students said they felt the candidates dodged some issues, such as taxes.

“A few of the questions we asked, they kind of went around them,” said senior Taren Crippen, 17.

Ali McKervey, an 18-year-old senior who plans to vote in her first election, agreed, but added, “I think they both did a really good job.”

Parker Castaño, an 18-year-old senior, planned to vote for the first time in November. Castaño said he would make his decisions on the issues, not on party affiliation.

Gionet, their teacher, said he gives his students a birthday present when they turn 18: a voter-registration card.

“I tell them it’s the most powerful tool they’ll ever have, if they use it.”

*Correction, Sept. 30, 2009: This article originally used an incorrect day of the week for a debate at Snohomish High School Tuesday between two Snohomish County Council candidates.